Method and apparatus for embossing tubular items having an open end

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for embossing to register previously printed tubular items having an open end using a pair of embossing rolls. One roll of the embossing set has a smaller diameter portion which is smaller than the diameter of the tubular item. The larger diameter portion of this roll operates in conjunction with the embossing portion and has the same or slightly smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the tubular object being embossed. The larger diameter portion drives the item to be embossed at the same peripheral speed as the smaller diameter embossing portion. This roll operates in conjunction with the other embossing roll to form a complete unit which is a station designed to operate with high speed can making equipment.

llnitenl States Fatet 1191 rodericlt METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING TUBULAR ITEMS HAVING AN ()EPEN ENE [75] Inventor: 15 rank W. Broderick, New

irovidence, NJ.

[73] Assignees Johnson & Johnson, New

Brunswick, NJ.

[22] Filed: @ct. 2, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 294,408

[52] US. Cl. 101/6, 101/32 [51] 1nt.C1 13411 17/20, B21d 51/12 [58] Field of Search. 101/6, 7, 32, 36-40 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,003,126 9/1911 Schwahn lOl/7 1,256,342 2/1918 McGrath lOl/7 1,487,899 3/1924 Sturges et al. 101/7 1,527,091 2/1925 Snow 101/7 2,696,166 12/1954 Russell 1 4 1 101/6 2,716,378 8/1955 George 101/38 R [111 3,815,493 1 June 11, 1974 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,099,288 3/1955 France 101/38 R Primary ExaminerR0bert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerClifford D. Crowder [5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for embossing to register previously printed tubular items having an open end using a pair of embossing rolls. One roll of the embossing set has a smaller diameter portion which is smaller than the diameter of the tubular item. The larger diameter portion of this roll operates in conjunction with theembossing portion and has the same or slightly smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the tubular object being embossed. The larger diameter portion drives the item to be embossed at the same peripheral speed as the smaller diameter embossing portion. This r011 operates in conjunction with the other embossing roll to form a complete unit which is a station designed to operate with high speed can making equipment.

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEnJun 1 1 m4 SHEET 1 OF 2 liii iliii METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING TUBULAR ITEMS HAVING AN OPEN END This invention relates to method and apparatus for embossing tubular items having an open end and more particularly to the register embossing of impact extruded aluminum and drawn and ironed tin plated steel or steel only cans and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many instances it is desirable to decorate the cylindrical side walls of cans by printing and/or embossing to improve the esthetic appeal of the can. This has been done for many years with cans produced by the standard technique of forming a flat sheet, printing and embossing the sheet and cutting to the desired size. The cut piece is rolled and soldered to form a cylinder and the top and bottom placed on the cylinder. In recent years new techniques have been developed for producing cans and cylindrical containers which are generally termed impact extruded in aluminum cans and impact extruded drawn and ironed in steel cans. In thisprocess the bottom and cylindrical side walls of the can are produced in aluminum by an impact extrusion in one operation and in steel by an impact extrusion and a drawn and ironedoperation to extend the depth of cylinder thus eliminating the seam, and of course eliminating the possibility of printing and embossing a flat sheet.

Techniques have been developed for printing the outside of the cylindrical container made by the impact extrusion and drawn and ironed technique but the register embossing of the printed container has caused many problems. n

A methodv has been developed to register emboss the printed cylindrical container using an electromagnetic technique. With this technique the can to be shaped is held in a chamber or cavity the inner surface of which has the desired decoration on it. The can is positioned correctly in this chamber and an electromagnetic coil placed inside the can to provide a burst of energy so that the can is more or less expanded outwardly into the configuration of the outer chamber and the chamber removed. This technique is costly and complex, has limited speed-and a suitable mechanism must be incorporated with it to allow for registry of the embossing with the printing. Register is impractical as a tolerance of 1/32 of an inch must be allowed and such tolerance severely limits embossing techniques and customer ac.- ceptance.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION I have discovered a new method for the register embossing of tubular items having an open end using standard two roll pressure embossing techniques.

My new method can be operated at high speed, as high as 500 cans per minute, and provides for excellent registry of each item with the print or other design placed on its surface. Furthermore my new apparatus is simple, economical and relatively trouble free in operation.

In accordance with the present invention my new The embossing portion of the roll is slightly smaller than the diameter of the driven end cap and the diameter of the item being embossed but travels at the same peripheral speed as the driven end cap through separate geared drive shafts. The smaller diameter embossing portion allows the item to be easily and readily placed in position on the driven end cap where it is held either by magnetic attraction or vacuum adherence.

If desired a section of the engraving portion may be flattened to aid in the easy placing of the item onto the end cap and the ready removal of the item from the end cap.

Operating in conjunction with the embossing portion is a mated embossing roll which rotates at the same peripheral speed as the embossing portion. The embossing portion may be either male or female. For the sake of clarity in the remainder of this description the embossing portion will be described as a male embossing portion with its cooperating embossing roll being described as a female embossing roll.

.In operation the item to be embossed is placed over the male embossing portion and the cooperating end cap. The item is rotated one revolution by the end cap and register embossed with the mated female embossing roll. i

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will-become apparent with the following description of a specific embodiment as presented along with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TI-IEPRESENT INVENTION v Referring to the drawings there is shown a frame 10 for cantilever supporting the rolls from one side thereof and supporting the drive gear train from the other side.

a A shaft ll extends through the frameand is mounted on bearings 12 and 13 supported in the frame. Mounted and keyed 14 to this shaft is the male embossing portion 15 of the tubular item embossing roll 16. A

stationery plate 17 having a circular extending portion 18, rotatable in bearings 19, is mounted on the frame. The circular extending portion has the same or slightly smaller diameter as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed. One end of the male embossing portion 15 of the embossing roll is up against the surface of the circular rotating extending portion 18. If desired a very small clearance may be maintained between the two surfaces. The drive portion 20 of the end cap is fixed on the end of a shaft 21 which extends through the hollow embossing roll shaft 11 through the frame and out the other side where this shaft is mounted in bearings 22 and 23 mounted in depending frame 24 as shown in FIG. 1. A very slight clearance is allowed between the end of the male embossing portion 15 and the flat sur-' keyed 26 on a shaft 27 which is mounted in bearings 28 and 29 in the frame and the shaft extends through the frame. The embossing pattern on this roll is the same as the pattern on the-embossing portion of the internal male portion with the exception that one roll carries protrusions (male) and the other carries the corresponding depressions (female).

As is more clearly seen in FIG. 3 the male embossing portion 15 of the roll 16 may have a flat section 30 on its circumference; The flat section will be in the position as shown when the can or tubular item3l to be embossed is placed on the driving end cap and internal male embossing portion and when the tubular item is removed from the end cap and internal male embossing portion. This flattened section allows for easier placing and removal of the item. Although it may be eliminated and only the male protuberances removed for clearance to permit the tubular item to be placed in register embossing position without obstruction.

It now becomes clear that should the male embossing portion of the roll 16 be the same diameter as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to remove the item from the embossing portion. The depressions or protrusions placed in the item by embossing would hold the item to the embossing portion 15. My new method and apparatus cleariy overcomes this difficulty.

As previously mentioned the shafts carrying the rolls extend through the frame and on this side of the frame the shafts carry the gear chain described hereinafter for the synchronized driving of the embossing apparatus.

As is shown in FIG. 1 a drive shaft 35 is mounted on bearings 36 and 37 mounted in thedepending frame 24 and in bearings 38 in the frame 10. Two gears 39 and 40 are keyed to this drive shaft. These gears are of slightly different size in order to obtain the correct peripherallinear speed in the embossing operation. Engaging with the gear 39 is a gear 41 keyed to the shaft 21 carrying the item driving portion; i.e., the rotary end cap. Engaging with the other gear 40 on the drive shaft is a slightly smaller gear 42 keyed'to the shaft 11 carrying the male embossing portion. This gear is slightly smaller than the gear 41 driving the item driving portion'20 so that the male embossing portion and the item driving portion rotate at the same peripheral linear speed. Engaging with the embossing shaft gear 42 is another gear 43 keyed to the shaft 27 carrying the upper female embossing roll and this gear 43 is sized so that it will drive the female embossing roll at the same peripheral speed as the lower male embossing portion.

As may be seen in the Figures the center axis B about which the male embossing portion of the lower roll rotates is just slightly off set from the center axis A about which the item driving portion rotates.

In operation an open end tubular item 31 is picked up by either magnetic, vacuum or other means and inserted onto the carrying roll 16. The circular free rotating portion 18 and the item drivingportion 20 contact the inner surface of the item and the item is held in this position by magnetic means, vacuum means or the like so that it is positively driven. On insertion the flat portion 30 of the embossing portion of the lower roll is in the position as shown in FIG. 3. The item is rotated once, along with the embossing rolls 16 and and embossed.

The speed of the unit is synchronized with the speed of the preceding printing unit or similar processing unit. The drive shaft 35 is connected directly to the drive of a printing unit and synchronized therewith to obtain perfect register embossing. After the item has made one revolution and the flat section is back into position as is shown in FIG. 3 the item is ejected either with compressed air applied through the opening in shaft 21 or picked off with magnetic means or the like.

Having now described and illustrated my invention in detail it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise varied and practiced by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of embossing open end tubular items comprising; providing a first roll having an end portion of approximately the same diameter as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed and an embossing portion of smaller diameter than said end portion, placing the item to be embossed on said roll and rotating the embossing portion, end portion and item at the same peripheral linear speed against a second embossing roll.

2. A method of embossing open end tubular items comprising; providing a first roll having an end portion of approximately the same diameter as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed and an embossing portion of smaller diameter than said end portion, placing the item to be embossed on said roll, contacting the outside surface of the item with a second embossing roli mated to said embossing portion of said first roli, rotating the embossing portion of said first roll, the item and the second mated embossing roll at the said peripheral linear speed and removing the embossed item from said first roll.

3. Apparatus for embossing open end tubular items comprising; a pair of embossing rolls, one of said rolls having a portion having a smaller diameter than the remainder of the roll, said smaller diameter portion carrying an embossing design and means for driving said smaller diameter portion and the remainder of the roll at the said peripheral linear speed.

4. Apparatus for embossing open end tubular items comprising; a pair of embossing rolls, said rolls being supported at one end in cantilever fashion, one of said rolls having a drive portion disposed from said supported end, said drive portion having a diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed, said roll also having an embossing portion adjacent said end portion, said embossing portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the item to be embossed, means for driving said embossing portion in contact with substantially the entire surface of the item to be embossed, means for driving the drive portion of said roll at the said peripheral linear speed as said embossing portion, and means for driving the i other of said embossing rolls at the same peripheral lincar speed.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the embossing portion of the roll has a flat section whichis disposed adjacent the other embossing roll both on the insertion and the removal of the item to be embossed.

6. Apparatus for embossing open end tubular items comprising; a pair of embossing rolls, one of said rolls having an embossing portion of a smaller diameter than the remainder of said roll, said smaller portion being mounted on a hollow shaft mounted in a cantilever fashion, said roll having a larger portion substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed, said larger diameter portion being cantilever mounted on a shaft which extends through the hollow shaft on which said smaller portion is mounted, said shafts being offset with respect to each other so that the surface of both the smaller portion and the larger portion substantially continually contact the surface of the other embossing roll or a plane extending therefrom during the entire revolution of both shafts, means for driving said hollow shaft and said embossing portion at a given peripheral linear speed, means for driving said larger diameter portion at said given peripheral linear speed and means for driving said cooproll has a mating female design. 

1. A method of embossing open end tubular items comprising; providing a first roll having an end portion of approximately the same diameter As the inside diameter of the item to be embossed and an embossing portion of smaller diameter than said end portion, placing the item to be embossed on said roll and rotating the embossing portion, end portion and item at the same peripheral linear speed against a second embossing roll.
 2. A method of embossing open end tubular items comprising; providing a first roll having an end portion of approximately the same diameter as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed and an embossing portion of smaller diameter than said end portion, placing the item to be embossed on said roll, contacting the outside surface of the item with a second embossing roll mated to said embossing portion of said first roll, rotating the embossing portion of said first roll, the item and the second mated embossing roll at the said peripheral linear speed and removing the embossed item from said first roll.
 3. Apparatus for embossing open end tubular items comprising; a pair of embossing rolls, one of said rolls having a portion having a smaller diameter than the remainder of the roll, said smaller diameter portion carrying an embossing design and means for driving said smaller diameter portion and the remainder of the roll at the said peripheral linear speed.
 4. Apparatus for embossing open end tubular items comprising; a pair of embossing rolls, said rolls being supported at one end in cantilever fashion, one of said rolls having a drive portion disposed from said supported end, said drive portion having a diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed, said roll also having an embossing portion adjacent said end portion, said embossing portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the item to be embossed, means for driving said embossing portion in contact with substantially the entire surface of the item to be embossed, means for driving the drive portion of said roll at the said peripheral linear speed as said embossing portion, and means for driving the other of said embossing rolls at the same peripheral linear speed.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the embossing portion of the roll has a flat section which is disposed adjacent the other embossing roll both on the insertion and the removal of the item to be embossed.
 6. Apparatus for embossing open end tubular items comprising; a pair of embossing rolls, one of said rolls having an embossing portion of a smaller diameter than the remainder of said roll, said smaller portion being mounted on a hollow shaft mounted in a cantilever fashion, said roll having a larger portion substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of the item to be embossed, said larger diameter portion being cantilever mounted on a shaft which extends through the hollow shaft on which said smaller portion is mounted, said shafts being offset with respect to each other so that the surface of both the smaller portion and the larger portion substantially continually contact the surface of the other embossing roll or a plane extending therefrom during the entire revolution of both shafts, means for driving said hollow shaft and said embossing portion at a given peripheral linear speed, means for driving said larger diameter portion at said given peripheral linear speed and means for driving said cooperating embossing roll at the same peripheral linear speed.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the embossing portion has a male design and the embossing roll has a mating female design.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the embossing portion has a flat section extending along its length, said flat section being disposed towards the cooperating embossing roll both during insertion and removal of the item to be embossed.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the embossing portion has a male design and the embossing roll has a mating female design. 